


Aaru

by Aescela



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Ancient Egypt, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Blindshipping, Boys In Love, Drama, Explicit Sexual Content, First Time, Fluff, In-character, M/M, Memory World Arc, No Uke/Seme, One-Shot, Oneshot, Porn, Puzzleshipping, Sensual Sex, Sex, Smut, and both are clueless, and that means emotions, angst-flavored fluff, come for the porn stay for the feels, i hate that shit, mostly canon-compliant, nerdy virgins figuring things out, porn with a little plot, puzzleboys, puzzlefeelings, romantic sex, shortstory, some sad moments i suppose, tasteful porn, they are equal lovers, ygo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-02
Updated: 2019-05-02
Packaged: 2020-02-16 07:45:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,082
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18687157
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aescela/pseuds/Aescela
Summary: During their trials in Atem's memory world, Yugi and his other half share some peaceful privacy in the pharaoh's bedchamber.





	Aaru

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! Another one-shot, wa-hoo. This happened after I asked myself "What if Yugi and Atem were to have a little break during the events in Memory World after finding out that they can TOUCH?". And yes, it fiddles with the plot a bit, so this is a mini-AU I suppose. And yes, I call him YAMI, because he doesn't know his name yet and calling him "the spirit" or "the pharaoh" all the time felt just wrong. Atem's a person and he needs a name for me to write him and Yami is the next best thing we have at this point. Anyway. Enjoy your smut, folks.
> 
> "Aaru" is the heavenly paradise in the Egyptian afterlife, where good souls can exist in pleasure for all eternity.

Aaru

 

It shouldn't have caught his attention as much as it did.

Among all the chaos, the destruction, the concern for his subjects and the questioning gazes of his six high priests, Yami knew he had a myriad of more pressing worries to think about, but the only thing he could think of was the way Yugi stared at him after they met again in the desert of Egypt.

Ever since entering the world of his memories, his past, feeling half lost and half thrilled by the rekindled hope to finally unearth his name, Yami had let himself get carried away by the current of events, playing along, knowing deep down that the hardest fight of his life awaited him, only this time he had the knowledge that somewhere his partner was trying to get to him, to help him.

This time, he wasn't fighting alone, and while history repeated itself there was a chance to redirect the current, to turn things around.

Still – Yami wanted to chide himself for it, it was against all reason – all the pharaoh could think about was that look in Yugi's eyes, that longing gaze that all but _burned_ on the back of his head even when he didn't look at him.

_I can touch you._

_Other Me, I can touch you... You feel it too, don't you?_

Their mind link didn't work as it usually did here in this secluded little realm of existence, so Yami couldn't converse with Yugi via thoughts alone as he could back in Domino, but it was all there, in Yugi's eyes.

_Pharaoh, I can touch you._

Yami swallowed and answered Isis, discussing their next step after driving Diabound and the Thief King's army back into the desert, but deep in his mind, there was only one thing he could focus on, and that was the way Yugi's hand felt on his wrist.

All their friends were there as well – of course they were, no way they'd ever let Yugi do this alone, and how thankful Yami was – and Yugi stood by his side as the pharaoh's counselors gave their advice, his smaller hand wrapped around Yami's wrist as if to give him comfort. The hand trembled ever so slightly, the pad of his thumb rubbing little circles over Yami's skin as if constantly making sure that _yes_ , in this world, the pharaoh had a body of his own.

Yami chanced a glance to the side while Mahad spoke, and found Yugi's gaze still directed at him, his eyes burning with unspoken longing and _questions_. The grip on his wrist tightened slightly, and Yami knew what Yugi was thinking. Despite the danger still out in the vast nothingness of the Egyptian desert, despite all of this being some sort of magical illusion, all they could think of was that _they could touch_. They could feel the heat of the sand under their feet, the hot, dusty wind, the relentless sun beating down on them, they could feel thirst and hunger and pain, and even if it wasn't entirely real it was more real than it would ever get between them.

 _This could be our only chance_ , Yugi's eyes screamed.

Yami took a deep breath, knowing that he still had work to do, but took the moment to send Yugi a tiny, almost imperceptible nod.

Yugi nodded back, and let go.

Yami fell back into his role as pharaoh and made his orders as it was discussed before. The Thief King's army had withdrawn but it was foolish to think they wouldn't return very soon, and while they were regrouping the pharaoh and his court decided to do the same. They sent some smaller troops along the outskirts of the capital to take watch, while Shada and Karim escorted citizens into safety. Mahad and Mana commanded their soldiers, the others went back to the palace to set their plans into motion from there.

“And you'll take shelter in the palace as well,” Yami said firmly, turning to Joey and the rest of their little group. “The next attack will most likely hit the city itself. It's too dangerous out in the open, and the villagers need to be brought into safety, as do you guys.”

“You got it,” Joey said while Tristan and Tea nodded, following determinedly.

The next hours passed in a blur, Yami trying to let instincts take control that he had never realized possessing, something deeply buried in the depths of his mind slowly emerging as he spoke commands and made decisions and sent out groups of his soldiers to set up the defense of the city. It was strategic thinking like he was used to from the countless duels he'd fought, only this time, the future itself was at risk. While he was acting on those instincts, noon turned into evening, and while the sky above the desert bled burning red and orange, mirrored in the thousands of torches down in the alleys of the city surrounding the palace, Yami barely felt time pass. Suddenly, it was all done, everybody in position.

“That's all we can do, your majesty,” Shimon said to Yami. “Mana is supervising the transportation of rocks for the catapults and then we're all prepared. Oh, I hope that wasn't a mistake...”

Yami glanced sideways at the shorter man that reminded him so much of Yugi's grandfather. “Why should it be?”

“Oh, you know how Mana can be”, Shimon chuckled, and Yami realized it was meant as a joke. “Remember that fiasco with the statue of Horus after your tenth birthday?”

Yami didn't remember. But he felt from the first moment he'd seen Mana again just how much of a good friend she'd been since his forgotten childhood, and he couldn't help the smile spreading over his face. “I'm sure she'll do just fine.”

“Right, your highness. Please, come inside and take a rest. You'll need your strength soon, I'm afraid,” Shimon said, and while his tone was polite and gentle, Yami didn't miss the tinge of urgency that suggested Shimon would disapprove if he stayed outside.

He cast one more look over this ancient kingdom that was his home, strange as it still felt, and sighed deeply. Shimon was right, Yami was tired to the bone, and while he still had that urge to do _something_ , anything, he knew all they could do now was wait.

And, most of all, there was the memory of Yugi's gaze on him, pleading, burning with unspoken desires.

He followed Shimon inside into the fire-lit throne hall, past groups of court members, nodding whenever somebody bowed respectfully as he strode past. Yugi and his friends were digging into a pile of food set up for them on a secluded little table in the far corner of the room, Mana by their side. When she noticed Yami joining them, she smiled and approached him.

“The catapults are ready, just so you know. And I took the liberty to get your friends here something to eat,” she said. Yami smiled back, feeling something fond wash over his pain and tiredness.

“I'll let Shimon know you didn't repeat the accident with the Horus statue during my tenth birthday”, he chanced, remembering what Shimon had told him earlier, and grinned when Mana first blushed and then pouted.

“He's still complaining about that? It was one time!”

“One time what? What did you do?” Joey wanted to know, looking up from a plate of fruits. “Hey pharaoh! All set up and ready?”

“It is. Now all we can do is wait for the enemy's next move,” Yami answered. Mana loudly justified her antics back in their childhood – something about painting a priceless gilded statue so it looked like a certain bearded priest – while the rest of the gang laughed.

Yugi hadn't touched his food, Yami noticed. Instead, he looked up at him, lilac eyes questioning silently.

 _Our friends are fine_ , Yami thought. _As much as they've been through, they are safe here, for the moment, so they can recover. They are okay. We can leave them here with Mana for a while._

As if Yugi had heard him think, he managed a small smile that Yami mirrored. The pharaoh made an almost imperceptible little gesture that caused Yugi to stand up, casually walking over to another table to pick up a clay carafe filled with water, but stopping right when he was next to Yami.

“Come to my chambers once you're ready. I'll send the guards away so you can slip past unseen. It's the room above the front of the palace, with the blue columns,” Yami whispered quickly. His heartbeat – he had a heartbeat, it still felt like a miracle – sped up when Yugi averted his gaze, staring at the carafe in his hands, and blushed.

He nodded, though.

With that, he turned back to the gang, handing Tea the water and sitting down to make a joking remark about Mana's antics that only caused her to break into another rant of how boring and stuffy her tutors could be when it came to simply having fun every now and then.

Yami told them he'd be away to do “some more important pharaoh business”, as Tristan liked to put it, with which they all wished him luck, and weaved his way through the throng of court members and subjects, but after all headed straight for the exit of the throne hall, towards his chambers.

-

The pharaoh waited for Yugi on the balcony of his bedroom, staring out into the vastness of the desert, elbows resting on the banister. A thin line of yellow on the horizon turned first into red and higher above into rich, inky blue, speckled with stars that looked so different from the sky above Domino – and still these were the stars he’d been born under, ages ago. It felt surreal and familiar at the same time, as well as the warm breeze that smelled of sun-baked rocks and burning fires and the flowers that blossomed on the fertile riverbanks of the nearby Nile. The heat of the day was fleeting quickly, but the solid sand-colored stones of the royal palace held the temperature and provided a pleasant, subtle source of warmth as the air cooled gradually.

When Yami heard Yugi quietly close the heavy ornate door behind him to join his other half in his royal chambers, the pharaoh smiled to himself but didn't turn around, telling from the way Yugi's footsteps padded irregularly over the stone tiles that he was both awed and nervous when confronted with the imposing bedchamber that was almost a small palace in itself. Yami allowed Yugi to take his time familiarizing himself with his surroundings and simply waited for him to join him when he was ready.

As expected, Yugi stepped up to him after a moment, leaning against the banister right next to Yami so that the sleeve of his jacket brushed against the pharaoh’s bare upper arm. They exchanged a smile but didn't speak, thankful for a moment of shared, peaceful silence after the turmoil of the past day. Instead, they both looked out at the shadows of the night eating away at the desert.

“This is all yours, pharaoh,” Yugi whispered after a long moment. Yami didn't have to ask what he meant – that ancient kingdom, its countless people and the vast lands, the responsibility of the crown on his head – and he just nodded.

“I can hardly believe it myself, to be honest. But it still feels... natural, in a way. And at the same time strange, as if I'm not quite a part of it, just a spectator,” Yami admitted. Yugi chuckled softly, easing some of the tension.

“Yep... The others found it pretty strange too.”

“What did you tell them before you came to me?” Yami ventured to ask. After all, with the way Yugi had looked at him and the current state of things between them, as much as Yugi and his other self appreciated their friends' company, deep down they both felt this was a time to be shared only between the two of them. Privacy was needed, no matter where the night took them.

“I didn't want to lie, but I also didn't want to admit how... you know. Things grew between us lately. At least not yet,” Yugi said after a pause, and Yami smiled softly when his partner blushed, causing Yugi to chuckle and relax a bit more. “I told them I'd like to sit down with you and go over your thoughts and memories, see if you remember anything already, and that we'd like to be alone for that. They said it's a good idea. I guess that's at least half of the truth, don't you think?”

Yami turned to look at his partner, and the almost guilt-stricken expression in the young one's face was enough for him to approach him. He placed a comforting hand on Yugi's shoulder.

“It's alright, you did just fine. They'll understand,” he reassured him. Yugi nodded, and Yami felt him shifting into the touch. Yugi's hand came up to cover his, gently plucking it from his shoulder to hold it in front of his chest, slim, pale fingers intertwining with Yami's darker ones.

“Okay,” he said quietly, looking at how their hands fit together as if marveling at the sheer physicality of it. Another moment of comfortable silence passed, Yami closing his eyes for a moment to let the evening breeze wash over him.

When the pharaoh opened his eyes again he found Yugi's gaze wandering over his face, down the lines of his silhouette, lingering on the royal gold and symbols, then back up at his face. Yami knew that look. Yugi was horrible at hiding his obvious interest whenever something caught his attention, be it dueling cards in a shop window or a pretty girl at school. The fact that Yugi was perfectly aware of his face being an open book in a situation like this caused him to blink self-consciously, and Yami grinned, his heart beating faster with adoration. That only fueled Yugi's already deep blush, but he could see a small smirk tugging at Yugi's lips.

“You keep looking at my face as if it's the first time you see it, partner,” Yami remarked gently when Yugi stared at his feet as if he'd been caught committing a crime.

Again, that blush and shy smile. Gods, how Yami loved seeing it.

“Well, that's... that's just it.”

Frowning slightly, Yami tilted his head to the side. Yugi stuttered to explain himself.

“I mean, I know I've seen you before, of course I have, but... During the time we were together, you've always looked like an alternative version of me. My other me. But now, I think I just realized how _different_ you look when you're your own person,” Yugi said, every word carefully chosen. “I guess you've always been your own person, but for a long time we didn't know that, and now... You look _new_ , in a way. Like a king. But... not in a wrong way. More like the way you _should_ look. So.. _yourself_. Am I making any sense here?”

While he had spoken, his grip on Yami's hand had tightened. Now, he deflated a little, searching the pharaoh's face to see if he'd understood. Yami brought his other hand up to gently cover Yugi's, causing the other to let out a surprised little gasp.

“I understand, Yugi,” he said, edging a bit closer. As much as he adored that shy blush on Yugi's face – something he'd seen less and less often on Yugi in public with how strong and confident his other half had grown, and _oh_ how proud he was to be the one still evoking that coy response in him – he decided to tease him just a bit. “As long as you still find me handsome I'm happy with it.”

It was a low blow, Yami knew, expecting another fit of pink cheeks and stutters from his partner, but Yugi surprised him.

Yugi _did_ blush even more, but he also smiled, and something _challenging_ glittered in his eyes, the same fire of determination Yami would expect to see on Yugi before turning a seemingly hopeless duel around out of nowhere and scoring a victory with flying colors.

Taken aback by that sudden change in expression, Yami opened his mouth to ask, but before he could say anything at all Yugi had surged forward and caught Yami's lips with his.

Yami's shocked stiffness lasted for less than a heartbeat before his instincts took over and he returned Yugi's kiss, all but melting into the other with his hands coming up to cradle Yugi’s face. When Yugi felt him responding he let out a shuddering little breath, warm and tickling against Yami’s lips, and leaned in again, closer even, desperate to keep up the contact. Yami's left hand moved down to Yugi's shoulder to pull him tightly against him and somewhere within the hum of pleasure he was aware of Yugi's fingers inching their way up the back of his neck into his hair, each movement dedicated to close every last distance between their bodies.

It was electrifying and soothing at the same time, Yugi's lips were soft and sweet and giving against his, and _oh gods_ it felt so real Yami wanted to weep with the sheer beauty of it.

They had kissed before, long before, and even if Yami tried to pinpoint the exact moment their initial friendship had evolved to this, he couldn't – this confusing, comforting closeness they both craved so much while knowing that it wouldn't last for much longer, torn between not getting drawn in too deep and still making the most of the time they had. It had come so naturally, as if the prophecy of the one solving the puzzle had also meant for them to develop a deep emotional bond that neither of them could escape. At some point casual touches had become normal, then holding hands had become normal, then hugs and closeness and Yami sitting by Yugi's side in bed until he fell asleep, and soon they had kissed. Or, tried to, since Yami's spiritual presence only allowed for a very careful contact or Yugi would fall right through him like he was made of mist, but it still was wonderful and those kisses and the ones they shared in puzzle felt like a brush of their souls, beautiful and intimate but lacked the warm physicality of actual contact.

 _This_ , though... was breathtaking.

Their kiss turned from chaste and sweet to urgent and intoxicating, Yugi catching the pharaoh's lips with little nips and gentle bites and Yami answered that with a lick of his tongue over Yugi's mouth. He immediately took him in, fingers desperately curling into Yami's hair as their kiss deepened. When their tongues brushed together and he could actually _taste_ him, _feel_ the soft wetness of his lips, and Yugi let out a small, hungry moan Yami could have sworn he was close to fainting from how good this was. He turned his head a little, running a palm down the side of Yugi's face, and pulled him in again, feeling like he could do this forever, and never stop.

They did stop, though, if only out of need for air. Gasping slightly and with pink cheeks, Yugi pulled back and blinked owlishly at his other self, as if suddenly realizing just how bold he'd been.

“Oh dear, what have I... Other me, I'm sorry...”

Yami just smiled, relishing his still racing heartbeat, and reached up to brush a stray blond strand from Yugi's flushed face. “What for?”

Yugi didn't make an attempt to pull out of their close embrace, but he stared at his feet, and the expression on his face took Yami back into reality immediately, reminded him of their situation.

Yugi seemed to read his mind. “I just feel like I shouldn't... _distract_ you like this, pharaoh. We both have such an important task ahead of us, and I want to help you. But on the other hand, I also really, really want _this_... and _you_ ,” he added with a small voice. “It might be the only chance we ever get to...”

He didn't finish his sentence but his bright blush and the hunger in his eyes spoke volumes. Yami felt the same about it, shared Yugi’s wish to finally act on those desires they harbored for each other, and while a small voice in the back of his head still reminded him to keep his senses on the task he decided to silence them for the time being, reminding himself that all they could do now as wait, after all. And for the happiness of his partner, he'd do anything. Not mentioning that he shared that wish for more closeness Yugi still didn't quite voice, but expressed in every single move and gaze.

“Don't apologize. You understand what you mean, partner, but we're well prepared. And I admit I loathe the thought to let this chance slip by,” Yami answered, his last words dissolving into a husky rumble. He knew perfectly well that his deep voice was one of Yugi's many weak spots and relished the smaller one's passionate hum when his mouth caught his again. They kissed once more with their chests pressed so close Yami could feel Yugi’s heartbeat until they were out of breath. Smiling solemnly, they both leaned in to rest their foreheads against each other like they'd done so many times before.

Only this time, there was a soft _clonk_ noise and Yugi moaned again, holding the sore spot on his forehead.

“ _Ouch!_ I forgot about your crown! That thing is rock-hard...” he complained as he rubbed his forehead, but still smiled lopsidedly. Yami couldn't help but grin as the other laughed quietly.

“Sorry partner,” he said, gently taking Yugi's hand away so he could press a soothing kiss against the red spot. “Come. I really need to get rid of all that gold. Help me, would you?”

The pharaoh took Yugi's hand and guided him back into the bedchamber. Yugi blushed again, but followed suit, obviously intrigued, until they reached the polished bronze plate mounted over an ornate washstand. The first thing Yami removed was his crown. He placed it carefully on the table, followed by the puzzle. Taking them off felt as if both their physical as well as their much heavier symbolic weight was momentarily taken away from him, from his heart and shoulders, and Yami breathed out.

From now on, his attention belonged to Yugi and him alone, until sunrise.

Feeling relieved as if having performed a ritual, he looked away from his crown and puzzle out the balcony. The last rays of the setting sun shone in through the open doors, making the little dust particles in the air dance and glow around him. The pharaoh, relishing the beam of light that surrounded him warmly, chanced a glance backwards at his friend, his soulmate, and found Yugi returning his gaze with an almost awestruck expression, eyes blinking slowly and lips slightly open as he stared back at the taller one in front of him as if he was a piece of art. When Yugi realized that the pharaoh had taken his crown off, he gave his other half a small smile that spoke volumes and pressed his hand protectively against his own chest as if feeling for the puzzle that he didn't wear at the moment.

 _I’m all yours now, partner_ , Yami thought. Determined to keep up an easy, comforting mood between them, he turned his back to his partner and said: “The golden collar and the waistband should have some way to open them on the back. I hope you can figure it out because I sure can't.”

“Teamwork then, right, other me?”

“Sure. Go ahead. I'm all yours.”

Yugi chuckled softly and got to work on his back, his hands both quick and gentle, while Yami took out the gemstone-inlaid earrings. Only moments later the pharaoh felt the heavy golden wreaths around his waist and neck coming lose and Yugi placed them with the rest of the royal attire.

“Thank you, Yugi. I have no clue how to remove the bracelets around my wrists or ankles though, I'm afraid...” he added, frowning at the thick, flexible golden wrappings decorating his arms and legs.

Yugi surprised him, again. He stepped in closer

“Pharaoh, I... wouldn't mind if you left them on,” Yugi said, his voice a mixture of shy and, yes, _flirty_ , a tone that intrigued Yami beyond measure. “I think gold really becomes you, you know? Keep it. Everything else, though...”

And with that, Yugi leaned in closer and, still blushing, tugged playfully at the hem of Yami's tunic.

“… is unnecessary?” Yami finished with a low rumble. Yugi smiled coyly but pressed against him, his hands inching under the tunic until Yami could feel his palms on the bare skin of his waist, and they might as well have been pieces of coal as they _burned_ , sending a swarm of tingles down his spine with enough force to make him let out a small gasp of pleasure. Yugi, obviously encouraged by his reaction but not daring to move his hands any further under his other half’s clothing than that, looked up again, a soft smile on his face.

Yami read the question in there and, almost unconsciously, his gaze drifted past Yugi to the bed that seemed to take up the entire room. He heard Yugi inhaling audibly when he noticed what Yami was looking at, and when he glanced back at his partner Yugi was chewing on his lip as if not quite sure if he should voice the thought that seemed to hover in the warm, scented air between them.

Yami spoke first, deciding that the level of trust he had with Yugi would allow him to confess anything, no matter what it was, without taking the other aback.

“Would you… Yugi, do you want to share my bed?” the pharaoh asked, his voice a husky whisper, and while he was painfully certain that in a ranking of fitting things to say in situations of romantic seduction his words must have been somewhere on the very bottom of the list, but with the way Yugi’s eyed glazed over and he all but moaned a breathless “Yes!” and threw himself into his arms to kiss him like he wanted to make him forget how to think, Yami knew that he’d done everything right.

Yugi’s kiss felt even more needy and urgent as before, his breathing quick and flat and his pupils blown wide, and when their tongues curled together Yami got drawn in so deep that he ventured to push at his jacket. Yugi complied immediately, shrugging it off and letting it fall to the floor, but when Yami grabbed his now bare arms to pull him back against him Yugi tensed up. It was only a minuscule change but still there, prompting Yami to stop, seeking out Yugis’s eyes with his own.

“Partner?” he asked, keeping his tone as soft and gentle as he possibly could despite his racing heart and that flood of lust droning in his ears. He wanted Yugi to be entirely sure about this. The other returned his gaze, fingers rubbing gentle circles over the small of Yami’s back, visibly bracing himself before he spoke.

“It’s… Pharaoh, I know you already know this, but I still feel like we should address it at least once… You are my first. I’ve never done this before. Apart from… you know,” Yugi said, firmly at first and muttered towards the end, glancing up at Yami with eyes radiating something incredibly intimate.

Now, it was Yami’s turn to blush and he asked himself if it was visible under his tan. He blinked rapidly, his fingers tensing on his partner’s bare arms. Yes, he knew exactly what Yugi meant. He knew that every now and then Yugi would take care of his own desires and needs, something Yami never questioned and accepted as perfectly natural for a boy their age, usually withdrawing deep into the puzzle on those occasions to leave Yugi his deserved privacy without having to be prompted to. That wasn’t the reason why he felt his face heating up and his heartbeat quicken – it was rather the memory of that unsettling, thrilling transition of fantasies Yugi had. At first Yugi usually thought of girls, one in particular, but the more time they spent together and the closer they grew, that gradually subsided and at some point Yami realized that Yugi actually thought of _him_ when he was alone in bed _._ It was about at the same time when Yami had admitted to himself that he’d fallen helplessly for his partner, and Yugi allowing him to discover this new detail about his most private thoughts was as if a dam broke between them.

Yami remembered that one night before Egypt when Yugi was having one of those private moments but kept calling out to Yami into the depths of the puzzle, his voice desperate and longing and so sweet that at some point Yami’s resolve shattered and he materialized on top of his partner, brushing ghostly kisses along the edge of his jaw and whispering sweet confessions in his ear while Yugi touched himself to completion under him.

By the shine in Yugi’s eyes Yami knew perfectly well that he thought of the same night. It hardly counted as a first time since Yami was only a phantom of his soul, but it had been beautiful nonetheless. Still, what they were about to share now was new, and different, and it would count, whatever they decided for.

Realizing that he still had to answer, Yami pressed a kiss against Yugi’s forehead, determined to ease that last bit of insecurity. “I know, Yugi. I’m new to this as well.”

Yugi seemed to have waited for that exact bit of information. He pulled back a fraction and searched his other half’s face.

“How do you know that? Would you remember?”

He didn’t sound interrogating or jealous, just curious. Yami blinked, then shot him a slightly lopsided, morose smile.

“Well… At least I believe so, but for various reasons. Mana teased me with how I was looking at you, and how you were the first one she’d met that I stared at the way I did. During my coronation ceremony, I overheard some court counselors talking about how it’s time for me to pick a queen as soon as possible to secure the bloodline… One of them complained about my utter lack of interest in girls,” Yami explained, gently running his fingers down the side of Yugi’s soft face and smiling when his partner leaned into the touch. “And, most importantly… I think I would remember if I ever met someone that means as much to me as you do, Yugi.”

Yugi’s smile trembled around the edges, and he nodded solemnly. “Right. So... We’ll figure it out together then, I suppose...”

Yami huffed and pulled him in again, words whispered against the corners of Yugi's smile. “As we always do.”

They kissed, and while Yami could still feel that tinge of nervousness radiating from Yugi, mirrored in himself, it was not entirely unpleasant. The slight tremble of excitement about trying something new, and that with _him_ , of all people, was mixed with glowing anticipation and that deeply rooted trust that connected them both, grounding them, knowing the other would try their utmost to make each other feel cherished and wanted.

Yami embraced his racing heartbeat and relented, grabbed the hem of his white tunic and pulled it over his head to toss it aside. Yugi sucked in a quick breath as he found himself confronted with Yami’s naked upper body, eyes roaming over the lean muscles under smooth, tanned skin. His fingers twitched, Yami noticed, and his teeth worried his lower lip again. The sight alone of Yugi devouring him with his eyes sent a powerful shudder of pleasure down his spine. Eager to feel the other's warm hands on his skin like in that short moment before, Yami closed the distance and cradled the back of Yugi's neck, inviting him to touch him. Yugi let out a soft sound of surprise as he found himself chest to chest with Yami, blinking rapidly.

Slowly, his hands went up and he reached out to touch Yami, but then suddenly made a jump backwards, his face a mask of worry.

“Pharaoh, you're injured!” he exclaimed, pointing to the other's chest. Frowning, Yami looked down his own body. His eyebrows rose a bit when he realized that there was a long, dark gash following the edge of his clavicles.

“Is that a fresh wound from the fight in the desert?” Yugi wanted to know, his tone genuinely worried.

“I don't think so, Yugi...” Yami answered, touched by the honest concern in Yugi's voice. “I guess it's just an old scar. It looks healed.”

He looked up and blinked owlishly when Yugi laughed. “How did you get... Oh, right. You don't remember, huh? Seems like you've lead quite an adventurous life.”

“Well, I vaguely remember fencing lessons. I knew how to wield a blade once I got my hands on one, so I guess sword fighting was part of my education.”

“Does it still hurt?” Yugi asked. Now, he pressed his palm against the scar, gently caressing it as if to soothe the pain even if it was long healed. Yami bit his tongue when the simple touch sent another flutter of tingles down his spine, warm and firm and so _real_. Following an impulse, he pitched his voice to something deep and rumbling and lowered his gaze a bit.

“Well... maybe a little,” he purred. Yugi' expression morphed from concerned to teasing as he understood, and he bent his head to Yami's clavicle to press a series of soft kisses along the scar. Yami closed his eyes and bit back a gasp. His fingers curled into Yugi's hair as his partner's warm lips continued their path along his shoulder, up his neck.

“Better?”

Yugi's breath on his skin gave him goosebumps and when he spoke, his voice sounded surprisingly husky.

“Much... But I might have more scars, you know. You better go check.”

It was not the wittiest remark he'd ever made, but Yami could feel Yugi's smirk against his skin and that was just what he had aimed for. Encouraged, Yugi played along, letting his mouth roam over Yami's naked upper body, placing soft kisses and bites on his chest, his arms, shoulders and neck. Yami felt heat pooling low in his stomach, his breath started to come in nervous little flutters and he could tell by the puffs of air against his skin that Yugi experienced the same. He turned so Yugi could continue his caresses on his back.

“There's another scar. That must have hurt, poor other me,” Yugi murmured, and Yami felt his fingertips dancing along the edge of his shoulder blade where he had yet another scar, apparently. He knew so precious little about his former body, he mused for a moment, but all his thoughts were wiped out of his mind a heartbeat later when Yugi's tongue licked a hot path along his spine up to the back of his neck, then over the shell of his ear. A powerful shudder made Yami's skin crawl and a gasp escaped him as Yugi kissed the soft skin behind his ear. Yami felt him inhaling deeply.

“You smell so good...” Yugi murmured with a helplessly lost tone in his voice.

Right, Yami had a _scent_ now, and how fascinating it must be for Yugi to experience that new level of physicality in his other half. He all but purred when Yugi gently bit his ear, another surge of heat pulsing down to the ever growing red-hot knot of want, and with a choked moan he spun around and slipped his hands under Yugi's top. Yugi immediately complied and raised his arms to help Yami take it off. A split second later they were tangled in each other's arms again, kissing and caressing and exploring everything their hands and mouths found. It was almost too much to take in at once – Yugi's familiar scent, the soft, flawless pale skin and slender, lean muscles underneath, the heat he radiated and the eager glimmer in his eyes as he tested where Yami liked to be touched.

They were both utterly clueless and blissfully aware of it – with the exception of Yugi having some sort of knowledge to draw from that he gained by watching porn every now and then, but still, it was worlds apart from the real thing – but despite their inexperience Yami felt his instincts taking over. The last leftovers of insecurity were swept away, Yami felt, melting into trust and trust bleeding into want as Yugi toed his shoes and socks off and reached for his belts. Yami felt his head spinning when he heard the metal buckles clinking together and eagerly helped Yugi to get rid of them. Before he could reach for his pants, the pharaoh gently pushed him backwards until they reached the bed and they both flopped down on the soft covers, Yami bent over Yugi. By now, Yugi's face was flushed pink, his eyes black with desire and his breath came in flat little stutters as he pulled Yami down on him, urgently grinding his chest and stomach against him.

When their still clothed hips brushed together they both froze in their motion, eyes locking. Yami knew that Yugi had felt the same as him, just what they did to each other and how their bodies responded. A moment filled with wordless promises passed, then Yami slowly reached for the tie that held his skirt together at the hip. Without taking his eyes from Yugi, he took the skirt off and sat back until he knelt upright above Yugi's lap, completely naked now apart from some touches of gold.

Yami felt delirious as he watched Yugi's eyes taking him in, his gaze roaming hungrily over Yami's sun-kissed skin stretching over the solid planes and trim curves of muscles, lingering on his erection. Yugi looked as lost in his arousal as the other felt. A rush of pride ran through Yami at the knowledge that he was responsible for that expression of utter want on his partner's face and he bent forward to kiss him, fingers reaching for the buttons of Yugi's pants. Yugi struggled to aid him until his was free of his very last pieces of clothing as well. Yami took a moment to relish the sight in front of him – a slight sheen of sweat on hot, flushed skin, lilac eyes dark with desire, hair mussed, an ever so slight loving smile and hands reaching for him – before he gave in and melted into Yugi's arms. The other embraced him with a choked moan that Yami caught with his lips as they laid down together, still eagerly testing what the other liked. Yami already knew by experience where Yugi was ticklish and where he enjoyed to be touched, but he still felt like he could spend all eternity learning the shapes of his partner's body.

Yugi's shaky moans turned into a cut-off gasp as their erections brushed together. A silent question was exchanged and that playful shine in Yugi's eyes was back. Yami swallowed hard and pulled back just enough for Yugi to sneak a hand down between them. A moment later his heartbeat stuttered to a stop as Yugi's fingers wrapped around his length to give him an experimental stroke. A choked gasp escaped him, followed by a soft moan as Yugi repeated the movement. Encouraged by Yami's sounds of pleasure the caresses sped up and Yami had to hide his face in the curve of Yugi's neck to stop himself from crying out. He heard Yugi chuckling quietly somewhere in the parts of his senses that were not drowned out by a rush of lust.

“Good, other me?”

“Yes...”

Determined to return the favor, Yami reached down as well and touched his partner's length, velvety skin shockingly warm in his hand. Yugi's eyes fluttered shut and he tipped his head back with a soft moan, shivering hands clutching to Yami's back as if he was the only thing anchoring him in this world, and by all the gods he was the most beautiful thing the pharaoh had ever seen. Their mutual caresses went on and Yami lost his feeling of time, until suddenly Yugi let go of him and gently nudged his shoulder.

Yami blinked out of his blissful stupor. Yugi was trying to flip him on his back, Yami realized and complied, curious to see what the other was up to. Yugi climbed over him, sending him another gentle smile that sparked with an intriguing mixture of coyness and mischief, then he bent down and kissed Yami's chest. Yami closed his eyes and gasped when Yugi's tongue briefly flicked over a nipple, his lips moving over the taut muscles on his stomach and further down still. When Yugi's warm tongue slipped along the inside of his thigh and Yami suddenly realized what his partner was about to do, Yami's head shot back up, a mixture of shock and excitement rushing through him.

“Partner, are you trying to...?”

He found Yugi settled between his thighs, warm palms caressing over the juts of his hip bones as if to calm him, a playful smile on his face mingling with an adorable coy blush.

“I've always dreamed about doing this for you,” Yugi whispered, pressing a kiss against Yami's lower stomach close to his hard arousal. “Would you let me?”

Yami knew with certainty that if the palace had crumbled down around them in this very moment, it still would have been impossible to say no to Yugi after seeing the look in his eyes. Unable to speak, he just nodded, and watched breathlessly as Yugi lowered his head and pressed a soft kiss against the length of Yami's erection. The kiss was followed by a slow drag of Yugi's tongue along the underside up to the tip, another touch of his lips, and after another burning gaze Yugi closed his eyes and took him in fully.

It was like the air was being forced out of his lungs. Yami let his head fall back on the bed and groaned as Yugi slowly worked him, carefully but determinedly, using his tongue and teeth and lips. There was a fire burning low in Yami's abdomen, all his nerves were singing and his hands helplessly clenched the covers he lay on. It was pain and pleasure wrapped into one and with each breathless moan he let out Yugi seemed to double his efforts, hands gently holding his twitching hips in place and fever-hot lips moving around his erection. He could have happily indulged in this for all eternity, but after a few blissful minutes Yami felt a coil of heat tensing up in him, and even if it was the first time he experienced it he knew that if he gave in now it might be over too soon, and he wanted to enjoy this for much longer.

“Stop, please...” he gasped. Yugi immediately complied and looked up to his other half.

“Did I hurt you?” he asked, visibly struggling out of his own arousal to be able to form a coherent phrase.

Yami hurried to shake his head, smiling at his partner. “No, not at all. It's a little too good and I'd like to prolong this a bit more. Come here.”

He opened his arms and beckoned Yugi closer. Pride shining in his eyes, Yugi scooted back in his embrace and hummed with pleasure when the pharaoh rolled him on his back to hover over him perched on his elbows. Yami knew now what to do, how much pressure to put on the other and where to lick and kiss him to tease more of those alluring sounds of pleasure from him. Yugi eagerly wrapped him in his limbs to pull him against his body and Yami ground their hips together, their erections trapped between them, stomachs slick with sweat and exchanging incoherently whispered secrets between deep kisses. Yami felt Yugi's hands sliding over his rear, squeezing the firm flesh experimentally and when Yami answered that with a rumbling purr that was somewhere between aroused and playful Yugi chuckled against his lips and repeated the caress eagerly.

Somewhere in the last bit of Yami's mind that wasn't drowned out by a red-hot flood of lust, he reflected that in the normal world, Yugi would have taken his time with their first encounter. He would have been much, much slower than now, trying out so many more of those fantasies he secretly harbored, but time was something they didn't have. What they had was devotion, and while Yami felt Yugi's rush to relief that almost painful tension growing between them he also shared the wish to make this last for as along as possible, using each and every second to its fullest. Every little touch was Yugi through and through, the shyness and kindness and utter trust that made him so unique and wonderful, and Yami prayed to whatever deity might listen that this moment would last forever, determinedly ignoring the burning knowledge that his time with Yugi would soon come to and end and he wold have to say goodbye to this young soul that meant the world to him.

“I love you, Yugi.”

The words were out of his mouth before he could stop himself. He froze, his shocked expression mirrored in Yugi's unbelieving gaze, staring up at him with wide eyes. Though mentally shared by both, it had never been said out loud, never needed to be said, as if they both were afraid that saying it would cause them to sink in too deep, making the pain of their eventual parting unbearable, but there Yami was. He had said it, there was no going back. He bit his own tongue, searching Yugi's eyes as if striving to read his thoughts.

Yugi's smile trembled around the edges, and he blinked rapidly. He took a shuddering breath and pulled Yami against him to hide his face in his hair.

“I love you too,” he muttered, breath hitching between words. Yami closed his eyes. They held each other as tightly as they could for a long moment.

Then Yugi loosened his iron grip on Yami's back a little and squirmed beneath him as if desperate to lose the contact. Yami gently took Yugi's chin and turned his head to face him, looking deeply into eyes that seemed bottomless with devotion. Yugi gave him an ever so subtle nod and Yami took that as permission to reciprocate the movement, picking up the pace and grinding his hips against the other. After the short break their shared heat returned with full force, sweat slicking their skin and enhancing the friction of their erections trapped between their stomachs. Yami snuck a hand between them to wrap his fingers around both their lengths, rubbing them together. The added touch sent a spark of pleasure through Yami that was mirrored in Yugi's breathless moan. The smaller one hooked his legs up and around Yami to pull him against him, rolling his hips against the other.

What had started as clueless and clumsy blurred into a perfectly matched rhythm as if they'd never done anything else in their lives. Yami felt that coil of white-hot heat tensing up inside him until it was almost painful, and by the way Yugi's breathless little gasps sped up he knew his partner was getting close to the peak as well. Yami vaguely registered an all but breathed _Other me_ from his partner and forced his eyes open that he hadn't realized closing. As soon as his gaze met his partner's face, Yugi's eyes fluttered shut, his fingers digging almost painfully into the skin of Yami's shoulders, his whole body tensing up and back arching against the other as hot spurts of wetness filled what little space there was between them. The sight of Yugi riding out his climax, eyebrows peaking in a mixture of frustration and utter bliss paired with the lost sound of his moans was enough to tip Yami over that edge as well, but he held himself back for just another moment to devour the sensation of Yugi coming with him, to burn it so deeply into his memory that he'd never forget it.

Surrendering, Yami let go and followed suit, breathlessly gasping against the warm skin of Yugi's neck as the tension bled from his body in one violent rush and he came all over Yugi's chest and stomach. Then he collapsed on his partner, completely spent.

-

For a long moment, all Yugi could do was breathe.

He was vaguely aware of Yami's weight pressing down on him like a warm, sheltering blanket, as if every inch of their naked bodies was touching, but it was drowned out but that all-consuming hum of pleasure as the last shock waves of his orgasm slowly subsided. He'd experienced it before, alone of course, but _this_ was so much better, so much more intense since it was shared with the one he loved. Slowly, the height bled from him, replaced by leaden satisfaction.

Yugi let out a soft hum, struggling back into reality. He blinked, suddenly strangely aware of their situation now that his lust was satisfied. As often as he'd dreamed of an erotic encounter with his pharaoh, he'd never really thought about how they would continue afterward. Would Yami flirt or react embarrassed? Get up and wash? Or just fall asleep?

As if Yami had sensed Yugi's curiosity, he slowly lifted his head from the crook of Yugi's neck where he had tucked it and looked at him. Yugi felt his already heated face blushing even more when he stared back into those gorgeous burgundy eyes, heavy-lidded and brimming with that dizzy afterglow of Yami's own completion.

As Yugi waited for his other half to say or do something, what Yami actually did caught him completely by surprise.

Yami laughed.

Yugi was so shocked he forgot to breathe.

The pharaoh, stoic, serious person that he was, mostly remained somewhat aloof and controlled compared to Yugi, he knew that. While Yugi wore his heart on his sleeve Yami usually refrained from showing any emotional outbreaks other than during duels, and even then they were strategically placed between his poker face and speeches of judgment. Of course Yami smiled and joked and he had a sense of humor – even if it was much darker compared to their friends' – but still, Yugi had only ever heard him laugh a few times since they were together.

Even now, Yami didn't really laugh out loud, he never would, but a low, soft chuckle rumbled deep in his chest, unmistakably _him_ , slightly husky and out of breath after their actions, and paired with that loving smile on his face he was so beautiful Yugi felt like he could weep with joy.

“Partner,” Yami said, still laughing softly, and bent down to kiss him. Yugi wrapped him in his arms and returned the kiss, savoring the taste of his mouth. Yami's lips wandered away to kiss his cheek and he dragged his tongue along the edge of his jaw as if to tease him, and Yugi grinned, inhaling deeply when some of Yami's spiky hair brushed over his face. Gods, he smelled so good, an enticing, exotic mixture of sand, fresh linen and sweat, tinged with some of the incense used in Egyptian cosmetics, like thyme, honey and juniper. Yugi inhaled again, determined to burn the way his other half smelled deeply into his memory.

They didn't exchange any pillow talk of the kind Yugi was vaguely familiar with from romantic movies, didn't tell each other their opinion of their performance. It wasn't necessary, he felt. They both knew just how profoundly wonderful their encounter had been, and if Yugi was to decide, they'd remain like that on the bed for the rest of their lives, nestled into the other's warmth. Yugi hummed with pleasure when Yami breathed against his temple and held him close. A chilly night breeze wafted in through the open balcony and cooled the remains of their shared completion that still decorated Yugi's chest and stomach and a good portion of his partner's lower belly. Yugi felt a trickle running coldly down the side of his waist and had to bite his lip with how enticing it felt, like a physical proof that their first time had actually happened.

As if Yami had noticed, he lifted his body a little.

“As much as I'd like to remain like this, we should clean up,” he suggested gently. Yugi squirmed and tried to grab his shoulders to hold him back.

“Just a bit more, this is kinda sexy...”

“It was, but now it's getting sticky,” Yami countered, chuckling again. Moaning in playful protest, Yugi arched his stomach up against his partner, then reluctantly let him go. Yami slid from the bed and padded over to the washstand. He dipped a piece of cloth into the water and cleaned himself, then went back to the bed, offering the cloth to Yugi. While Yugi took care of the mess on his stomach, Yami went over to a torch on the wall and picked up one of the wooden sticks lying in the flames. Cleaned up, Yugi watched curiously as the pharaoh went over to the still cold braziers mounted in several places around the bed and lit them with the burning end of the stick. When the oil inside the metal bowls caught fire and smoldered softly, spreading a flickering, orange light, Yugi realized how dark it had gotten outside. What little of the sky he could see through the balcony opening was ink-blue and speckled with stars. With every brazier Yami lit, the bedchamber turned more into a secluded, warm bubble of soothing light, and for some reason it was like the outside world didn't exist. Or, Yugi thought, it was easier to pretend so, at least for the moment.

Yami reached the last brazier next to the bed and poked the burning stick in the oil. The emerging flame illuminated his naked body and Yugi felt almost ashamed with how he devoured him with his gaze. The pharaoh was gorgeous, all slender, sharp contours and graceful limbs, tanned skin and red highlights gleaming golden in the light of the flames, some healed scars here and there that somehow only added to his beauty. Yugi eagerly pressed into him when Yami joined him on the bed and curled up in his waiting arms.

“I wonder if the others are wondering where I am,” Yugi murmured between kisses.

“If you told them you're with me, they won't worry for you or come looking,” Yami reassured him. Still, he pulled back from the embrace a little, expression turning serious.

“Something on your mind, Yugi?”

Yugi gazed down at their joined hands, regretting that he had let his defense slip for a moment. He'd tried so hard to forget about their task, their fate, the knowledge that their time together was coming to an end, and during their heated encounter it had worked so well, but – he cursed his own ever-concerned mind – now he thought of everything again. He didn't want to, he rather wanted to stay here with Yami and forget about the world for just one night. Pretend that what they had wasn't just love over the longest distance possible, over the edge of death and back, but something normal, something lasting.

A soft kiss on his forehead shook him out of his brooding.

“I know,” Yami whispered, breath hot on the skin of Yugi's forehead. His lips lingered, tickling as he spoke. Yugi closed his eyes and fought tears back.

“I know what you think, Yugi. Believe me, I tried to forget as well, and I can't. That doesn't change what I feel for you, though. It only makes me love you more.”

Yugi clenched his eyes shut until it hurt. “I wish I knew that you'll stay with me forever, but I know you can't. Not after this, and I'm the one helping you to fulfill the only reason you're here. I'm the one sending you off... Sometimes I don't know how to handle myself when I think about it.”

Trembling arms cradled him even closer and Yugi relented, melting into his other self's embrace as if hiding from the world.

“Then don't. Relish the time we still have,” Yami whispered into Yugi's hair. “I just...”

He sounded like he had trouble finding the right words, prompting Yugi to look up just a little. “Yes?”

“... I just want you to promise me one thing, Yugi. If I should be gone at some point, I want you to not hesitate to find someone for you to share your life with, and...”

“No!” Yugi hissed, tears stinging in his eyes. He tensed up, feeling Yami's grip tighten at the same time.

“Yugi, I just...”

“I said no! No more of that, please.”

“I want you to be happy, Yugi. At any cost.”

Deep down, Yugi understood, had always understood, that despite the love Yami harbored for him he'd never encourage him to deprive himself of an actual living partner, and deep down Yugi loved him all the more for it, but he also knew that right now, in this moment, he couldn't bear the thought. It hurt too badly.

He weakly lifted a hand, blinking back tears, thankful when Yami stopped speaking. “Other me, I... I promise. Okay? I'll keep that promise at some point, I'll try. But right now, don't remind me, please...”

“Yugi, I'll always love you. And I know a part of your heart will forever carry an imprint of mine, from the time you allowed me to spend in there,” Yami whispered, leaning in again, and Yugi wanted to shed tears of joy and sorrow both from _how true_ his words were.

“Yeah...” he breathed, catching Yami's mouth with his. Yami's lips moved away from the kiss over Yugi's cheeks, picking up a few stray tears. Yugi felt his worry slowly bleeding out now that they'd said the things that had been pressing down on their hearts. It would be okay, _they_ would be okay, and right now, they had the chance to make memories, and Yugi felt his heart burning with the determination to make enough to last a lifetime.

He pulled Yami back against him and poured everything he couldn't put into words into the kiss, all of his devotion and the promises they never needed to say. Yami moaned against his lips and his tongue came out to curl against Yugi's, the contact turning more urgent and desperate by the second. Between gasps for breath Yami rolled Yugi on his back and the smaller one eagerly wrapped him in his legs to press their hips together, their arousal returning quickly.

It was almost astounding how easy it was to fall back into that rhythm after this short time, as if they'd shared the bed for a hundred nights already. Yami sought out the places that made Yugi squirm and moan with amazing accuracy, fast learner that he was, swirled his tongue over a nipple and sucked a bruise into the soft skin along his clavicle, brushed a warm palm over the sensitive edge of his ribcage and along the inside of his thigh, and Yugi blissfully surrendered, doing his best to reciprocate the favors. His pride swelled when Yami turned boneless in his arms as he gently but firmly pressed the pad of his thumb against the tip of his erection to spreading the moisture that collected there. Their play was as in tune as ever, give and take in equal measures, and Yugi happily allowed the other to press him into the soft covers to grind their lengths together.

Despite his mind slowly being wiped clean and drowned in a rush of lust, just one quiet corner of his heart reminded him of the possibly finality of their encounter, but instead of giving in to sorrow, Yugi felt encouraged to use the time and try something he'd been fantasizing about for countless lonely nights.

He sank down a little lower from the pillow he'd been resting on so he could position his hips under the other's abdomen. He reached for Yami's hands and gently stilled their movements, interlacing his fingers with his as he rested their joined hands left and right of his head. Yami hovered above him, blinking out of his daze. His head tilted to the side, questioning but obviously intrigued.

“Pharaoh, I want... I'd like to have you inside me, please...” Yugi managed to say, feeling himself blush but determined to see this through. He wanted it so badly, at least once.

The sight of Yami looking wide-eyed and flustered was so adorable and unusual for his stoic, proud other self that Yugi had to smile. He held his gaze even as Yami struggled for words.

“I... If you want it, I'll gladly do, Yugi. Are you sure you're going to enjoy it?" he managed eventually, sounding both concerned and aroused.

“I know with you, I will,” Yugi came back quietly, and by the way Yami's face darkened even more and his pupils dilated he knew he'd won the other over.

Outside, the moon rose over the desert and shone in through the balcony, but neither of the two paid the world any mind, everything forgotten but each other in their secluded sphere of warmth and soft firelight. Trust bled into desire as Yami carefully prepared Yugi as instructed, oil-slicked fingers gentle and slow. Yugi showed him how to curl his fingers inside him to seek out those golden spots that made him squirm under his attentions, and between cut-off gasps he forced his heavy eyes open to look at his other half's adoring gaze holding his. When Yami entered him just as carefully Yugi did let out a few strained gasps, but Yami always seemed to know instinctively when to give his partner a second to catch his breath before he continued. When they were fully joined Yugi felt like he could fall apart with the sheer beauty of the thought alone, a shared mind, shared heart and shared bodies as they surrendered everything they had to the other. Yami started moving inside him, his own husky moans ghosting warmly over Yugi's face and neck with each thrust.

At one point Yami transferred his weight on his side and flipped them around so they were sitting, Yugi perched in Yami's lap with his arms around the other's torso, his other half's sweat-slicked chest heaving against him, heartbeat racing in time with his. It was a whole new level of closeness happening so quickly Yugi barely noticed the change until he realized _he_ was in control now. He was able to steer angle and speed of their joined movements, and he did, determined to make Yami come undone under him. Yugi's moans pitched higher as he learned how to roll his hips against Yami's length inside him in just the right way to stimulate both of them equally, causing Yami to tip his head back in almost-ecstasy. Seeing his other half gasp and squirm with each little movement made Yugi's head spin with both euphoria and pride.

“Partner, I'm close...”

“Look at me,” Yugi ordered with a choked whisper just before Yami could tumble over that edge and his other half obeyed, dark-red eyes glazed with lust and his gaze locking with his for just a moment before they helplessly fluttered shut again. Yugi tensed and bit his lip with pure exhilaration as he felt Yami's orgasm pulsing hot inside him, his fingers digging almost painfully into the skin of his back and the broken gasps against Yugi's neck sending shivers down his spine. Then Yugi followed, his own completion filling the space between their stomachs.

Without letting go of his partner, Yami sank back as if close to fainting. Yugi followed the movement until he was lying on top of the other. Once more, they basked in their shared aftershocks, the cold night air cooling the sweat on their skin.

Yugi was so boneless with satisfaction he didn't resist when Yami gently rolled him to the side and sat up just enough to pull a blanket over them, then wrapped him in his arms and heaved a long, happy sigh into Yugi's hair. When Yugi looked up to meet the other's eyes, they were shining with something so profoundly thankful and intimate that he forgot to breathe for a moment.

“I love you,” the pharaoh murmured, his words followed by a kiss, and Yugi closed his eyes. He felt himself tearing up once more, but this time, it wasn't because of his fears. Lips quivering, he pressed himself as close into Yami's warm embrace as he possibly could. Yami responded by tightening his grip and running soothing circles over Yugi's back with his palms. The rhythmic touch was contagious, and soon Yugi felt himself getting sleepy.

This time, they didn't speak, but the way they held each other made any words unnecessary. Yami was curled tightly around Yugi as if to shelter him from the rest of the world and at the same time seeking refuge in his closeness. It mirrored the way their relationship had evolved over time, Yugi reflected drowsily with the last corner of his mind that wasn't already drifting off. It reminded him of the way Yugi's reliance on Yami's strength had been balanced out by the way Yugi helped Yami to come to peace with his own self. It was a beautiful thought that eventually caused Yugi to close his eyes, simply basking in the other's scent and warmth and protective presence, and somehow they both forgot the world around them and all thoughts of departure at least for the moment, for this one night.

 

 


End file.
